U.S. patent number 7,980,091 [Application Number 12/085,290] was granted by the patent office on 2011-07-19 for refrigeration device comprising a circulating cooling system.
This patent grant is currently assigned to BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH. Invention is credited to Panagiotis Fotiadis, Alexander Gorz, Hans Ihle.
United States Patent |
7,980,091 |
Fotiadis , et al. |
July 19, 2011 |
Refrigeration device comprising a circulating cooling system
Abstract
A refrigeration device comprising two refrigerated regions,
whose temperature is independently regulated and which are supplied
with cold air from a common evaporator chamber. A flap is situated
in one branch of a cold air conduit, which connects the
refrigerated regions to the evaporator chamber, said flap being
pivotable between two positions, each of which seals a respective
branch of the conduit. The pivoting displacement of the flap is
driven by an eccentric cam.
Inventors: |
Fotiadis; Panagiotis (Giengen,
DE), Gorz; Alexander (Aalen, DE), Ihle;
Hans (Giengen, DE) |
Assignee: |
BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete
GmbH (Munich, DE)
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Family
ID: |
37908180 |
Appl.
No.: |
12/085,290 |
Filed: |
October 16, 2006 |
PCT
Filed: |
October 16, 2006 |
PCT No.: |
PCT/EP2006/067463 |
371(c)(1),(2),(4) Date: |
May 20, 2008 |
PCT
Pub. No.: |
WO2007/062905 |
PCT
Pub. Date: |
June 07, 2007 |
Prior Publication Data
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Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
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US 20090151387 A1 |
Jun 18, 2009 |
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Foreign Application Priority Data
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Nov 30, 2005 [DE] |
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10 2005 057 155 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
62/408;
62/441 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F16K
31/521 (20130101); F25D 17/045 (20130101); F25D
11/02 (20130101); F25D 17/065 (20130101); F25D
2317/067 (20130101); F25D 2317/0661 (20130101); F25D
2400/04 (20130101); F25D 2317/0665 (20130101); F25D
2317/0655 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
F25D
17/04 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;62/441,187,419,454,455,426,208,126 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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1 517 103 |
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Mar 2005 |
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EP |
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2-118384 |
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May 1990 |
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JP |
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5-196340 |
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Aug 1993 |
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JP |
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1532492 |
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Dec 1989 |
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SU |
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Other References
International Search Report PCT/EP2006/067463. cited by
other.
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Primary Examiner: Ali; Mohammad
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Howard; James E. Pallapies;
Andre
Claims
The invention claimed is:
1. A refrigeration appliance with two refrigerated regions having
an arrangement for independently regulating a temperature within
each region, an evaporator chamber for supplying cold air to both
regions through a cold air conduit operatively connected to the
evaporator chamber and both regions, and a flap arranged in a
branch of the cold air conduit, said flap being pivotable between
two positions wherein each position respectively blocks a branch of
the conduit, the refrigeration appliance comprising an eccentric
apparatus for driving movement of the flap, wherein the eccentric
apparatus includes a disk-shaped member and the refrigeration
appliance further comprises a lever arm coupled to the flap,
wherein the lever arm scans a circumferential surface of the
disk-shaped member.
2. A refrigeration appliance with two refrigerated regions having
an arrangement for independently regulating a temperature within
each region, an evaporator chamber for supplying cold air to both
regions through a cold air conduit operatively connected to the
evaporator chamber and both regions, and a flap arranged in a
branch of the cold air conduit, said flap being pivotable between
two positions wherein each position respectively blocks a branch of
the conduit, the refrigeration appliance comprising an eccentric
apparatus for driving movement of the flap, wherein the eccentric
apparatus includes a slot formed therein and the refrigeration
apparatus further comprises a lever arm coupled to the flap,
wherein the lever arm is operatively associated with the slot in
the eccentric apparatus and is guided thereby.
3. A refrigeration appliance with two refrigerated regions having
an arrangement for independently regulating a temperature within
each region, an evaporator chamber for supplying cold air to both
regions through a cold air conduit operatively connected to the
evaporator chamber and both regions, and a flap arranged in a
branch of the cold air conduit, said flap being pivotable between
two positions wherein each position respectively blocks a branch of
the conduit, the refrigeration appliance comprising an eccentric
apparatus for driving movement of the flap; and a disk rigidly
coupled to the eccentric apparatus, wherein the circumference of
the disk forms at least part of a circle concentric with an axis of
rotation of the eccentric apparatus; and a sensor operatively
associated with the disk to sense a rotational position of the
disk.
4. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 3 wherein the
disk is formed with surface elements that can be captured by the
sensor located in a capture region of the sensor when the flap is
in one of the branch-blocking positions.
5. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 4 wherein the
surface elements on the disk are separated by an angular distance
of 180.degree..
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a refrigeration appliance with a
circulated-air cooling system, in other words a refrigeration
appliance, in whose housing an evaporator region and at least one
refrigerated region for holding chilled goods are separated off
from one another and the refrigerated region is cooled by cold air
supplied from the evaporator region. In particular the invention
relates to a refrigeration appliance with a circulated-air cooling
system, having at least two refrigerated regions, whose
temperatures are regulated independently of each other by the
supply of cold air from a common evaporator chamber.
An unpublished German patent application by the applicant discloses
such a refrigeration appliance, in which a flap is arranged in a
branch of a cold air conduit, which connects the refrigerated
regions to the evaporator chamber, said flap being pivotable
between two positions respectively blocking a branch of the
conduit, to supply one of the two refrigerated regions respectively
with cold air in a selective manner.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the invention is to specify a refrigeration appliance
of the type mentioned above with a simple and robust positioning
mechanism to drive the pivoting movement of the flap.
The object is achieved in that the pivoting movements of the flap
are driven by way of an eccentric.
According to a first embodiment of the invention the flap is
coupled to a lever arm, which scans a circumferential surface of
the disk-shaped eccentric. With this embodiment the eccentric can
only exert a drive force on the lever arm in one direction, so that
a reset movement of the lever arm has to be driven by another
force, in particular a weight or spring force.
According to a second embodiment the flap is coupled to a lever
arm, which is guided in a slot in the eccentric. In this instance
the eccentric can exert torque forces on the lever arm in opposing
directions.
In order to be able to capture the current position of the flap, a
disk is preferably coupled rigidly to the eccentric, its
circumference forming at least part of a circle concentric with the
axis of the eccentric and the disk is assigned a sensor to capture
its rotational position.
Features of the disk that can be captured by the sensor are
preferably located in a capture region of the sensor when the valve
is in one of the branch-blocking positions. If the eccentric is
stopped precisely when the sensor captures one of these features,
it is ensured that the flap is in one of the representations.
The features of a disk to be captured are preferably arranged at an
angular distance of 180.degree..
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Further features and advantages of the invention will emerge from
the description which follows of exemplary embodiments, in
which:
FIG. 1 shows a perspective view obliquely from below of the body of
an inventive refrigeration appliance;
FIG. 2 shows a section through a center plane of the body running
vertically and in the direction of the depth, along the line II in
FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 shows a section through the upper region of the body in a
plane displaced to the side in relation to the center plane, along
the line III in FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 shows a detailed side view of a fan housing in the
refrigeration appliance according to a first embodiment;
FIG. 5 shows a fragmented rear view of the fan housing in FIG. 4;
and
FIG. 6 shows a similar view of a fan housing to FIG. 4 according to
a second embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a body 1 of an inventive
refrigeration appliance. The appliance has a door, which is omitted
in the figure. The interior of the body 1 is divided into an
evaporator region 2 at the top below the cover of the body 1, a
first refrigerated region 3 and, separated from this by an
insulating intermediate wall 4, a second refrigerated region 5. A
pull-out box is housed in the second refrigerated region 5. The
first refrigerated region 3 is normally divided into compartments
one on top of the other by a number of supports for chilled goods
but these compartments are omitted in the figure, to show as much
of the rear wall 6 of the body 1 as possible.
An air inlet opening 8 is formed on the front face of an
intermediate wall 7 (see FIG. 2) separating the evaporator region 2
from the first refrigerated region 3, it being possible for air
from the first refrigerated region 3 to enter the evaporator region
2 through said air inlet opening 8. Conduits through which air from
the second refrigerated region 5 can flow to the evaporator region
2--not shown in the figure--run in side walls of the body 1;
another option is an air conduit in the interior of the door,
starting at the level of the second refrigerated region 5 and
ending facing the air inlet opening 8.
A distributor hood 9 is attached to the intermediate wall 7
adjacent to the rear wall 6, on which distributor hood 9 a
plurality of air holes 10 is formed, through which cold air moving
out of the evaporator region 2 is distributed in various directions
in the upper part of the first refrigerated region 3. A number of
pairs of openings 11, from which cold air can likewise flow, are
located on the rear wall 6 below the distributor hood 9. The level
of these pairs of openings 11 is selected so that if chilled goods
supports are mounted in the first refrigerated region 3, each pair
of openings 11 supplies one compartment.
FIG. 2 shows a section of the refrigeration device from FIG. 1
along a center plane extending vertically and in the direction of
the depth of the body 1, represented in FIG. 1 by a dot-dash line
II. Cooling coils of an evaporator 12 are shown in the interior of
the evaporator region 2 in the section, with air penetrating
through the air inlet opening 8 flowing onto them. Toward the rear
wall 6 of the body the intermediate wall 7 slopes into a groove 13,
which collects condensation dripping off the evaporator 12. The
condensation is conveyed to an evaporator unit housed in the base
region 14 (see FIG. 1) of the body 1 by way of a pipe conduit (not
shown).
A fan is housed behind the groove 13, adjacent to the rear wall 6,
having a motor 15, a bucket wheel 16 driven by said motor 15 and a
housing 17. An intake opening is formed on the front face of the
housing 17, in the axial direction of the bucket wheel. The upper
half of the housing 17 runs closely around the bucket wheel 16 in
the circumferential direction, the housing 17 being open below, so
that rotation of the bucket wheel 16 causes air that is accelerated
radially outward to flow into a chamber 18, filling the lower half
of the housing 17.
A pivotable flap 19 is housed in this chamber 18. In the position
shown in the figure the flap 19 blocks a cold air supply opening
20, which leads vertically downward to the first refrigerated
region 3. The air is thus pushed toward the rear wall 6 and into a
cold air supply path 21, which is separated from the first
refrigerated region 3 by a thin insulating layer 22 and leads to
the second refrigerated region 5 in the interior of the rear wall.
When the flap 19, which is pivoted on an intermediate wall 23
between the cold air supply opening 20 and the cold air supply
conduit 21, is moved into a vertical position shown in the figure
as a dotted outline, it blocks the cold air supply conduit 21 and
the cold air flow reaches the distributor hood 9 through the cold
air supply opening 20. The figure shows one of the air holes 10,
through which the air flows out of the distributor hood 9 into the
first refrigerated region 3.
FIG. 3 shows a section through the upper part of the body 1 along
the plane marked III in FIG. 1. This figure shows the housing 17
extending in an arc round the bucket wheel 16 more clearly. It can
also be seen that the face of the distributor hood 9 facing the
rear wall 6 has an opening 24, which is aligned with an opening in
the rear wall 6, which leads to a distributor path 25 extending
vertically in the rear wall 6. One of the number of further
openings 11 leading from the distributor path 25 into the first
refrigerated region 3 can likewise be seen.
When the cold air supply opening 20 is open, the deflection of air
flowing vertically downward through these to an obliquely downward
and forward direction past the air holes 10 of the hood 9 results
in a dynamic pressure in the interior of the hood 9, which forces
some of the air into the distributor path 25. This quantity of air
can be determined by corresponding determination of the cross
sections of the air holes 10, the openings 11, 24 and the
distributor path 25.
In one simplified embodiment the distributor hood 9 and the
distributor path 25 fed by way of it with the openings 11 could be
omitted, so that cold air can flow through the opening 20 directly
into the first refrigerated region 3. In this instance compartment
bases (not shown) arranged in the first refrigerated region
expediently do not extend directly to the rear wall 6, so that cold
air forced through the opening 20 can also reach deeper regions of
the first refrigerated region 3.
FIG. 4 shows a side view of the fan housing 17. Parts located in
the interior of the housing, such as the flap 19 and the bucket
wheel 16, are shown as dotted outlines. The flap 19 is shown twice,
in its positions blocking the cold air supply conduit 21 and cold
air supply opening 20 respectively.
The flap 19 is mounted in a manner such that it cannot be rotated
on a shaft 26, which is supported in holes in the side wall 27
shown in a top view and an opposite side wall and from which a
segment projects beyond the side wall 27, supporting a lever arm
28.
Two pins 29 projecting from the side wall 27 serve to support a
motor (not shown), which drives an eccentric 30 in the form of a
circular disk in a rotational manner by way of a step-down
transmission, in that a drive shaft of the step-down transmission
engages in a square recess 31 in the eccentric 30. An axial pin 32
standing out from the eccentric 30 as an extension of the recess 30
is shown in the partial rear view of the housing 17 in FIG. 5 and
is supported in a rotatable manner in a recess in the side wall 27.
A semicircular disk 33 is connected rigidly to the axial pin 32;
its circumferential arc is concentric with the rotational axis of
the eccentric 30.
A spring (not shown) pushes the lever arm 29 counterclockwise
against the circumferential surface of the eccentric 30. In the
position of the eccentric 30 shown with unbroken lines in FIG. 4
the flap 19 is in an essentially vertical position, in which it
blocks the passage to the cold air supply conduit 21. The eccentric
30 converts a rotation of the motor in the same rotational
direction to a swinging movement of the flap 19. Rotation of the
eccentric 30 through 180.degree. moves it into the position shown
as a dashed outline in FIG. 4; in this position the flap 19 blocks
the cold air supply opening 20.
The transmission ratio from motor to lever arm is variable as a
function of the position of the lever arm 28. At the point of
reversal of the movement of the flap in each instance, in other
words in the two extreme positions shown in FIG. 4, the
transmission ratio becomes 0, in other words the torque available
to pivot the flap diverges. Therefore even a low-power motor is
sufficient to release the flap 19 from these extreme positions,
even if it should be frozen firmly in said position.
A reflecting light barrier 34 is mounted above the semicircular
disk 33 on the side wall 27 and serves as a sensor to capture the
rotational position of the eccentric 30. When the circumferential
arc of the disk 33 is in front of the light barrier 34, a light
beam emitted therefrom is reflected off the circumferential arc and
travels to a photocell of the light barrier 34. However as soon as
the edge of the circumferential arc is reached, reflection ceases.
A control circuit (not shown) is therefore able to identify from
the abrupt drop in the light intensity registered by the light
barrier 34 that the flap 19 has reached one of its two extreme
positions and to stop the motor driving it in this position. The
one of the two extreme positions characterized by a drop in light
intensity is a function of the--arbitrarily
determinable--rotational direction of the eccentric 30. The
respective other extreme position is characterized by an increase
in the light intensity registered by the light barrier 34.
Other types of sensors can also be provided instead of the light
barrier 34 to capture the position of the disk, e.g. a Hall sensor
or a mechanical contact.
FIG. 6 shows a side view of the housing 17 similar to the one in
FIG. 4 according to a second embodiment of the invention. For the
sake of clarity only one rotational position of the eccentric 30 is
shown in FIG. 6. Elements of this embodiment with identical
functions to elements already described with reference to FIG. 4 or
5 are assigned the same reference characters in FIG. 6 and are not
explained in detail again. The essential difference from the
embodiment in FIG. 4 is that the eccentric 30 is provided with a
circumferential slot 35, in which a pin 36 on the lever arm 28
engages. Here too the rotation of the eccentric 30 about the axis
defined by the recess 31 drives an oscillating pivoting movement of
the lever arm 28, with the eccentric 30 nevertheless being able to
exert a torque both clockwise and counter-clockwise on the lever
arm 28, depending on the side wall of the slot 35 on which the pin
36 rests.
* * * * *